Pa. t. and pple. choked. Forms: 4–5 cheke, [chekyn], 5– choke, (6 schoke). Also 6–9 choak(e; occas. 6–9 (esp. in mod. dial.) chock, 6 chouke, 9 Sc. chouk, chowk, 9 dial. chuck. Rare str. pa. pple. in 7 choaken. [The early history is obscure, the word being comparatively rare. The ME. variation choke and cheke, also found in ACHOKE, acheke, points back to an OE. *céocian, acéocian, of which the latter only is exemplified (Ælfric, Hom., I. 216). Possibly therefore choke is an aphetic form of achoke. No cognate verb appears elsewhere in Teutonic: but connection with CHEEK sb. is perh. possible, at least if the latter had an OTeut. type *keukôn-, since acéocian would also represent a stem *keuk-. (The meaning of céoc-ádl in Leechd. II. 310 is doubtful. ? cheek- or choke- illness.)
Association between the two words is suggested by the ME. double form of both, cheke, choke; in mod. Sc., chouk to choke, and chouks chops, fauces, external parts about the top of the throat (see CHOKE sb.2), are always associated in sense. The possibility of such a derivation is further illustrated by the verbs ATHROAT, THROTTLE, G. erdrosseln, L. jugulare, and by querken, given by the Promptorium as a synonym of choke; ‘chekyn or qwerchyn (v.r. querken) suffoco; chekenyd or qwerkenyd (chowked or querkened) suffocatus, strangulatus.’ This querken to strangle or choke is a deriv. of ON. kverk, OHG. querca, the angle below the chin, in pl. throat, fauces, = Sc. chouks.
The normal ME. repr. of *céocian was cheke; choke is explained by passage of OE. céo- into ceð-; cf. céosan, ME. chose, CHOOSE. The form Cheken in the Promptorium (see above), appears to be a derivative with -en suffix, like cheapen, threaten.]
I. proper. To stop the aperture of the throat so as to prevent breathing; to kill by so doing.
1. trans. To suffocate by external compression of the throat; to throttle, strangle; to produce a sensation of strangling. (Still the ordinary word for this sense in Scotland.)
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 3192. Now shal he me strangle and cheke, Ne shal y neuer aftyr speke.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., Chekyn, or querchyn [Pynson, querken], suffoco.
1584. Powel, Lloyd’s Cambria, 29. Slaine or some say Choaked by his own men.
1602. ‘Philaretes’ (title), Work for Chimney-sweepers: or A warning for Tobacconists…. Better be chokt with English hemp, then poisoned with Indian Tabacco.
1676. Hobbes, Iliad, III. 352. Choakt by the Latchet underneath his chin.
1790. Cowper, Iliad, III. 447. The broider’d band That underbraced his helmet at the chin … Choak’d him.
1865. J. G. Holland, Plain Talk, ii. 77. Have we not men clothed in black and choked with white cravats who are paid for this sort of service?
1866. Kingsley, Herew., I. xiv. 270. The spirit of her old Paladin ancestor, who choked the Emir at Montmajour.
1870. Bryant, Iliad, I. III. 99. The embroidered band that held The helmet … was choking him.
2. Said of the action of anything that sticks in the throat and blocks up the windpipe or its orifices; of disease or emotion that stops the action of the respiratory organs; of an unbreathable medium, such as water, gas, fumes, smoke, dust, or the like, when it fills the lungs and produces suffocation. (The ordinary use.)
[c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 181. [Adam] þar-offe bot, and wearð þar mide acheked.]
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 104. Prelatis … ben so chokid wiþ talow of worldly goodis … abouten hem, þat þei may not preche þe gospel.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. xxxv. (1495), 147. Some parte of the mete fallyth in to … the pypes of the lounge, thenne the beest coughyth, and somtyme by myshappe is strangelyd and chekyd [Bodl. MS. c. 1450 ichoked].
1494. Fabyan, VI. ccxii. 228. As soone as he had receyued the brede, forthwith he was choked.
1526–34. Tindale, Luke viii. 33. The heerd … ran heedlynge into the lake, and were choked [so Cranmer, Geneva, 1611 and 1881].
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. i. 22. Welnigh choked with the deadly stinke.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. i. 37. With eager feeding, food doth choake the feeder.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., V. vi. 380. Choked with the bones.
1642. Rogers, Naaman, 354. They say of the dampe in Colepits, that if it come … the workemen haste them to the mouth of the pit presently, lest they be choaked.
1678. Bunyan, Pilgr., I. 21. The dust began so abundantly to fly about, that Christian had almost therewith been choaked.
1704. Swift, Batt. Bks., 259. Bentley … half choak’d with Spleen and Rage, withdrew. Ibid. (1727), Gulliver, II. v. 142. I was almost choaked with the filthy stuff the monkey had crammed down my throat.
1775. Johnson, Journ. W. Isl., Dunvegan, Wks. X. 398. Macleod choked them with smoke, and left them lying dead by families as they stood.
1863. Dickens, Mrs. Lirriper’s Lodg., i. That I … didn’t force it down his throat, and choke him dead with it.
3. Said of a temporary and partial action of the same kind, which deprives of breath, power of speech, or command of one’s faculties.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 746. The wheasing Swine With Coughs is choak’d.
1705. Otway, Orphan, IV. vi. 1552. Grief … choaks and will not let me tell the cause.
1771. Mackenzie, Man Feel., xiv. He was choaked with the thought.
1825. Lytton, Falkland, 41. I felt choked with contending emotions.
1863. Mrs. Oliphant, Salem Chapel, xxi. 12. The words choked her as she uttered them.
4. refl.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., I. v. 87. But when to my good Lord, I proue vntrue, Ile choake my selfe.
a. 1631. Donne, Paradoxes, ix. 28. And labour to choak himself.
5. intr. (for refl.) To suffer suffocation, complete or partial.
a. 1400[?]. trans. Chastel d’Amour, 429. The fend … choked on the godhede as fisch dos on the hoke.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, IV. (Arb.), 97. Amyd oft her parlye she chocketh.
1694. R. L’Estrange, Fables, ccccxliv. (ed. 6), 482. Men are ready to Choak for want of Drink.
1804. Abernethy, Surg. Obs., 195. He [the patient] really seemed choking.
1878. Browning, La Saisiaz, 47. I must say—or choke in silence.
6. To choke the breath, utterance, voice, speech, laughter, the tongue: to stop (them) by choking.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. iii. 5. Redounding teares did choke th’ end of her plaint.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 217. Impatience chokes her pleading tongue.
1785. Burns, Death & Dr. Hornbook, xii. Sin’ I began to nick the thread, And choke the breath.
1835. Lytton, Rienzi, VI. ii. A laugh … came choked and mulled through his vizard.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. iv. 502. She prayed and sang verses of psalms till the waves choked her voice.
1865. Trollope, Belton Est., xviii. 212. Concealing the sobs which choked her utterance.
1887. Spectator, 4 June, 758/1. Passion which almost chokes his utterance.
b. in other transferred uses.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., IV. iii. 102. Dying like men … Leauing their earthly parts to choake your Clyme. Ibid. (1607), Timon, V. ii. 16. Fearfull scouring Doth choake the ayre with dust.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 335. With sprinkl’d Water first the City choak.
1866. Kingsley, Herew., I. Prelude 18. The air choked with foul brown fog and drenching rains from off the eastern sea.
II. To produce similar effects upon vegetable life, fire, emotion, action, or the free play of anything; to smother, stifle.
7. To kill (or injuriously affect) a plant, by depriving it of air and light. Often fig. (from the parable of the sower).
1526–34. Tindale, Matt. xii. 7. Some fell amonge thornes, and the thornes spronge vp and chooked it [Wyclif strangliden].
1581. Mulcaster, Positions, xxxvii. (1887), 147. Be there not as good wittes in wealth, though oftimes choked with dissolutenes and negligence.
1652. Culpepper, Eng. Physic., 61. It rampeth upon, and is ready to choak whatever grows near it.
1658. Baxter, Saving Faith, § 8. 57. Being over-topt and choaken with predominant enemies in the other [ground].
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 182. Spreading Succ’ry choaks the rising Field.
1873. Burton, Hist. Scot., VI. lxvi. 44. To choke the progress of true knowledge with formalities.
1874. S. Cox, Pilgr. Ps., v. 108. Field choked with briars.
8. To smother (a fire) by stopping the free circulation of air. Also fig.
1528. Paynel, Salerne Regim., T iiij. The fier, without fannynge of the aier, is schoked and quenched.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. iii. 9. The irrationall and brutall part … choakes those tender sparkes … of reason.
1691. Ray, Creation (1714), 253. If any [rays] be … reflected they are soon choaked in the black inside of the Uvea.
1859. Kingsley, Misc. (1860), I. 369. The vestal-fire of conscience still burned within, though choked again and again with bitter ashes and foul smoke.
9. To suppress or smother any feeling, or aspiration.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., III. i. 269. All pitty choak’d with custome of fell deeds.
1667. Dryden, Ess. Dram. Poesie, Dram. Wks. 1725, I. 54. Not capable to choak a strong belief.
1869. Freeman, Norm. Conq., III. xii. 168. In whose heart many an old enmity must have been choked, before [etc.].
† 10. To obstruct and prevent the free play of.
[c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., II. v. 47. Yif þou wilt achoken þe fulfillyng of nature wiþ superfluites.]
1605. Shaks., Macb., I. ii. 9. As two spent Swimmers, that doe cling together, And choake their Art.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 502. Else you will choake the Spreading of the Fruit.
† 11. To silence or ‘shut up’ in argument or debate; to stop the mouth of a witness, etc. Obs.
1533. Frith, Bk. Sacrament, Wks. (1572), 130. Thus doth S. Ambrose choke our sophisters.
1579. Fulke, Refut. Rastel, 774. He will choake the Bishop and vs all with the last question.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., II. i. 378. What, haue I choakt you with an Argosie?
1632. High Commission Cases (1886), 318. It may be some promise to choake you with a Benefice.
1649. Bp. Hall, Confirm. (1651), 78. Let no man think to choke me with the objection.
12. intr. (for refl.) To become smothered.
a. 1593. Marlowe, Jew of Malta, II. ii. Rather let … nature’s beauty choke with stifling clouds.
III. To stop, obstruct, any channel or receptacle; block up, fill up.
13. To close or greatly narrow (a tube, etc.), a. by external constriction, as in the case of the paper tubes for fireworks, or b. by internal obstruction.
a. 1635. J. Babington, Pyrotechnia, iii. (heading), How you shall choak a rocket…. A small cord will not choak a great rocket for want of strength.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., II. V. xiii. § 11. Fill two Inches more with Pistol-Powder, then choak the end up … put in a little of the mixture.
1786. Sir B. Thompson, in Phil. Trans., LXXVI. 279. Having first choaked the cylinder … by heating it, and crowding its sides inwards towards its axis.
1799. G. Smith, Laboratory, I. 19. After this choak the rocket at top.
b. 1669. Boyle, Contn. New Exp., I. (1682), 38. The cement wherewith we choak’d the upper part of the neck of the Bottle.
1871. B. Stewart, Heat, 27. The bore is nearly choked …. by means of a bit of enamel or glass.
14. To obstruct or block up a channel, so as to prevent natural or proper passage; to congest: said of the obstructions.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., xxviii. 141 (R.). A sullen Brooke … Whose Channell quite was chok’d with those that there did fall.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., II. v. § 3. Be sure your Barrels have great Touchholes, that the rust through time may not choak them.
1770. Goldsm., Des. Vill., 42. Thy glassy brook … chok’d with sedges works its weedy way.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 639. All the northern avenues of the capital were choked by trains of cars and by bands of dragoons.
1860. in Merc. Mar. Mag., VII. 247. The pumps were choked.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. § 27. 385. Broken ice and débris collect, thus partially choking the fissures.
b. intr. (for refl.).
c. 1611. Chapman, Iliad, XXI. 291 (R.). My sweet streames, choake with mortalitie Of men, slaine by thee.
1834. Tennyson, Poems, You ask me, why, tho’ ill at ease, vi. Tho’ every channel of the State Should almost choke with golden sand.
15. To fill chock-full, so as to leave room for nothing else. lit. and fig.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 507, ¶ 2. Party-lies … the press is chok’d with them, eminent authors live upon them.
1744. Berkeley, Siris, § 16. The trees … unable to perspire … are … choked and stuffed with their own juice.
1800. A. Carlyle, Autobiog. (1860), 130–1. We first attempted Belton Inn, but it was choked full by that time.
1877. Amelia B. Edwards, Up Nile, x. 283. The interior was choked with rubbish.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, xi. 128. Rome was becoming choked with impoverished citizens.
1884. Pall Mall Gaz., 18 Jan., 2/1. Why are they allowed to issue infamous placards choked with appeals to the memory of civil strife and religious hatreds…?
16. To stop the movement of any machine by clogging or jambing. Cf. CHOCK.
1712. W. Rogers, Voy., App. 30. Such quantities of Weeds, as will choke and bury both Cable and Anchor.
1765. A. Dickson, Treat. Agric. (ed. 2), 125. The whins in rising are very apt to entangle or chock the beam [of the plough].
1779. Capt. Luttrell, in Naval Chron., X. 458. The … rudder was choaked by a shot.
1794. Rigging & Seamanship, I. 164. Choaking the Luff, placing the bight of the leading part, or fall of a tackle, close up between the nest part and jaw of the block.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Choked, when a running rope sticks in a block, either by slipping between the cheeks and the shiver, or any other accident, so that it cannot run.
17. To fit in tightly, jamb in, ram in. [Cf. CHOCK.]
1747. Hooson, Miner’s Dict., D iv b. Made by Choaking in long stones between the two Sides.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xlix. (1854), 460. The floes were choked in around us, so as to prevent the possibility of warping from our position.
1859. F. A. Griffiths, Artil. Man. (1862), 191. The cartridge is choked tightly into the groove of the socket. Ibid. Made up with Boxer’s lubricators choked in them.
IV. In combination with adverbs.
18. Choke back, down, † in, out. To repress, smother down, as with a choking effort.
1690. Dryden, Don Sebastian, III. i. Choak in that threat.
1848. C. Pickering, Races Men, in U.S. Exploring Exp., IX. 23. The Chinooks … seemed to choke out their words.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., I. viii. 85. The deck blazed … but … I choked it down till water could be passed from above.
1866. Bryant, Death of Slavery, iii. Choked down, unuttered, the rebellious thought.
1888. Mrs. H. Ward, R. Elsmere, xliii. A passionate flood of self-reproachful love was on his lips. He choked it back. Ibid., xlvi. Choking down a sob.
19. Choke off. To cut off, put a stop to, get rid of, as if by throttling, as bulldogs are made to loosen their hold by choking them.
1818. Cobbett, Pol. Reg., XXXIII. 72. The Duke’s seven mouths … made the Whig party choak off Sheridan.
1848. New York Expr., 21 Feb. (Bartlett). In the House … of … Representatives. The operation of ‘choking off’ a speaker was very funny, and reminded me of the lawless conduct of fighting school-boys.
1858. R. S. Surtees, Ask Mamma, xix. 65. The Major, however, who was a keen, hard-bitten, little man, not easily choked off when he wanted anything.
1880. McCarthy, Own Times, III. xlv. 358. It was determined to … choke off the patriotic movement.
20. Choke up. † a. trans. and intr. To suffocate completely (see branch I). Obs.
1555. Fardle Facions, I. vi. 92. Winding the tayle of an oxe aboute their throte [they] choke vp and die.
1580. Sidney, Arcadia, III. 359. Her words were choakt up.
1752. Young, Brothers, III. i. The thought quite choaks me up.
† b. trans. To enclose so as to smother. Obs.
1539. Bible (Great), Matt. xiii. 22. The care of this worlde, and the dissaytfulnes of riches, choke vp the worde.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., III. iv. 44. Her fairest Flowers choakt vp.
1715. Desaguliers, Fires Impr., 34. Loading and choaking him up with Blankets.
c. To block up a channel. (The usual sense.)
1673. Ray, Journ. Low C., 378. The Haven is almost choaked up.
1780. Coxe, Russ. Disc., 306. The Western mouths of the Lena were so choaked up with ice.
1791. Newte, Tour Eng. & Scot., 169. To open the course of a little river … that had been chocked up with sand.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. xx. 408. Multitudes of fugitives were choking up the bridges and fords of the Gette or perishing in it waters.
d. To fill chock-full.
1871. R. H. Hutton, Ess. (1877), I. 85. Take the words ‘Absolute’ and ‘Infinite’ to mean that He to whom they are applicable chokes up the universe, mental and physical.
